How to make a logo

How to make a logo

2019-02-22T19:29:06-07:00

I was only half joking when I googled “How to Make a Logo”. And only a little surprised when the top search returns were:

The “Make It Now” Logo – Make A Free Logo In 8 Minutes‎
FREE Logo Maker – FREE Logo Creator – FREE Online Logo Design
Create a Logo Without Photoshop – FREE! – YouTube
How to Create a Logo for Your Website the Quick and Easy Way …
Logo Making for the Graphically Challenged – a simple, short and easy-to-follow guide for designing logos
How To Make a Logo Easily with Microsoft Word
Free Online Logo Maker – Create Great Designs!
If I used emoticons, I would insert a sad face here.

Our job is to create logos and brand identifies for companies, usually really innovative companies that are doing good things in the world. We’ve been working at it for years and it is some of our favorite work. It takes a lot of our creative brainpower and even a little love. And a good chunk of time. We love logos, and you should love yours, too. Here’s what to expect when embarking on creating a new logo:

1. Getting to know you and your company.

That typically starts with a kickoff brainstorm session we like to call a Marketing MindJam (you can see more about that at www.MarketingMindJam.com.). We ask you a lot of questions, do a little poking around and find out what makes you tick.

2. Logo training 101

Your logo is THE visual representation of everything your company stands for. It can do a lot of heavy lifting by enhancing first impressions of prospects and partners. It can build loyalty between you and your customers, and quickly illustrates the positive attributes of your business. Your customer should be able to tell what you do by simply looking at your logo.

That’s why we do a lot of talking, plotting and planning about your logo before starting design. We work with you to help decide what type of logo you want — a font-based or type-only treatment, a literal icon or logo mark, or an abstract graphic symbol. Funny, smart, corporate, elegant, quirky? Your logo can say a lot in very little time.

3. Think, sketch, crumple paper, begin again.

Before we begin sketching, it’s important we understand what message you want your logo to convey. Developing a one-sentence description and digging into your mission statement and writing a creative brief helps us focus. We do a little homework: research the competition and the industry; define key company benefits; study your target audience, their personality, and yours.

Then the fun part begins. A team of designers start sketching and generating dozens of ideas for your logo. The creative team picks their top 5 to 10 favorites (sometimes the vetting process can be tough), and refine black and white logo sketches to share with you.

4. Refine and add color.

You provide feedback on the sketches, tell us what you like, what you don’t like, and we refine the sketches into a bonafide logo. Once the foundational black and white logo is complete, several color palettes are developed and applied to the logo, and you choose your favorite. Logo complete.

5. Protect and Serve

Once your logo is complete you receive digital master files and a logo usage guide to help you apply the logo in any format. Make sure to protect your shiny new logo from use by other by trademarking it with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

6. Enjoy

The logo design process should be fun for your team and ours. We’d love to talk to you about creating a shiny, new logo for your company.